1. The Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to medical systems, devices and methods. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to suture securing systems, devices and methods for closing holes in tissue.
2. The Relevant Technology
Sutures are used to sew tissue together, and thereby close tissue openings, cuts or incisions during or after any of a very wide variety of medical procedures. Typically, the surgeon manually ties together suture lengths to close the opening; however, there are a number of disadvantages of knotting sutures together to secure tissues to one another. For example, manual knot tying requires considerable dexterity. Also, manual knot tying can take considerable time. Knot tying is further complicated by the fact that surgical sutures have low friction surfaces. It is typically necessary for a surgeon to include many “throws” when tying the knot. Unfortunately, as the number of loops or “throws” incorporated into the knot increase, the knot becomes increasingly large and bulky. Moreover, the surgeon typically needs to handle strands of adequate suture length prior to commencing manual knot tying. Furthermore, manually tied knots often lock prior to reaching the intended amount of tension to be applied to the tissue. Thus, manual knot tying requires considerable space both in which to view, and to perform, the actual suture knot tying. Further still, many surgical procedures are moving away from being open and toward being minimally invasive wherein the procedure is performed within a small opening formed in a patient's tissue. Many times the surgeon cannot see the vessel which they are trying to close with the suture. After a manually tied knot has been advanced over a repair site and tightened, the excess suture must be cut away. Typically, a surgeon may utilize a scalpel or a pair of scissors to cut off the suture ends just below the exterior surface of the patient's skin. Many times a surgeon cannot easily shorten this cut length because the location of the knot is well below the patient's tissue and not readily accessible, therefore they can only shorten the suture to the point that they can visually see. This is problematic because leaving lengths of suture within the wound may lead to irritation of the incision. More significantly, a relatively long suture end, extending from the knot at the vessel repair to the skin level, may act as a “wick” for infective microorganisms which may be present at skin level. The wick could provide a conduit for these microorganisms to travel from the skin surface to the vessel repair, thereby leading to infection.